Mere Catastrophe is a bad teacher: Brecht and Dramatherapy

Abstract: For a lot of reasons, ranging from ideological shifts to tedious or misinformed teaching to boring theatrical productions, Brecht’s ideas and theatre have often had a bad press - and yet his work has endured. This paper will not only assert Brecht’s continued relevance to theatre practice, but, in the process, explain how his ideas are of deep significance for Dramatherapy practice. This paper will argue that Brecht’s aesthetic, political legacy, rooted in materialism, dialectical process and anti-illusionist theatricality, is a treasury for Dramatherapists .

Anna Seymour PhD, PFHEA HCPC reg. Dramatherapist is Professor of Dramatherapy at the University of Roehampton, London. With a background in professional theatre for communities, she has pioneered teaching Dramatherapy through theatre and has given keynote presentations, masterclasses, conference papers and run training workshops in many countries. She has taught the theory and practice of theatre in several leading universities in the UK and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is Series Editor of Dramatherapy : approaches, relationships, critical ideas (Routledge/Taylor and Francis)

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